Citation

Edmondson AJ, Brennan CA, House AO. BMC Psychiatry 2018; 18(1): e98.

Affiliation

Institute of Health Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Leeds, 101 Clarendon Rd, Leeds, LS2 9LJ, UK.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2018, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group - BMC)

DOI

10.1186/s12888-018-1681-3

PMID

29642866

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Reasons for self-harm are not well understood. One of the reasons for this is that first-hand accounts are usually elicited using traditional interview and questionnaire methods. This study aims to explore the acceptability of using an approach (photo-elicitation) that does not rely on solely verbal or written techniques, and to make a preliminary assessment of whether people can usefully employ images to support a discussion about the reasons why they self-harm.

METHOD: Interviews with eight participants using photo elicitation, a method in which photographs produced by the participant are used as a stimulus and guide within the interview.

RESULTS: Participants responded positively to using images to support a discussion about their self-harm and readily incorporated images in the interview. Four main themes were identified representing negative and positive or adaptive purposes of self-harm: self-harm as a response to distress, self-harm to achieve mastery, self-harm as protective and self-harm as a language or form of communication.

CONCLUSIONS: Employing this novel approach was useful in broadening our understanding of self-harm.

Language: en

Keywords

Experience; Function; Motive; Photo elicitation; Qualitative research; Reason; Self-harm; Self-injury; Visual methods